Haverfordwest showcases Welsh weightlifting event

WELSH athletes will have another chance to put themselves in the frame for a place at the Commonwealth Games with a qualifying event in Pembrokeshire this weekend.

The Welsh Closed competition will take place at Haverfordwest’s new Strength Academy Wales this Saturday, based at the Sir Thomas Picton Leisure Centre.

Open to all Weightlifting Wales members aged 18 and over, the event will also see the return to action of World junior medallist Darius Jokarzadeh.

Super Heavyweight Darius became the first British junior medallist at World level for 18 years last year. The 19 year-old finished fourth overall in the 105kg+ category at the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) event in Peru, but his 215kg lift in the clean and jerk gave him a lift bronze.

It is his first competition back on home soil since moving to the USA to study medicine as part of an American Football scholarship.

Another lifter looking to put themselves in the frame for Glasgow 2014 is former Commonwealth gold medallist Michaela Breeze.

Weigh in is at 9am, with first lift at 11am.

Weightlifting Wales Performance Director Simon Roach said: “We’re edging closer to Glasgow and the turn of the year brings added spice to the event as our athletes look to show their potential to be part of Team Wales.

“This is the biggest showcase of the sport we’ve held at Strength Academy Wales and is the kind of event we hoped to see held here when we developed the facility in partnership with Pembrokeshire Leisure.”

The event is open to the public. Entry fee is adults £5 and £2 for those aged 16 and under.

For more information visit www.weightliftingwales.co.uk and follow @WelshWeightLift on Twitter for updates.